15 Learning Games And Activities For 16-Month-Old Baby

Your baby is an artist at 16 months! Indeed, he now takes small steps to walk, holds a crayon to scribble, and begins throwing tantrums! Now is when you can introduce him to activities that would fascinate him and capture his attention.

MomJunction shares 15 fun, entertaining, and learning activities for a 16-month-old to keep him busy while helping him grow better..

15 Games And Activities For 16-Month-Old Baby

The following games and activities stimulate the baby’s physical, mental, and social skills – all while having fun.

1. Pass the ball

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You will need:

You, your partner, and the baby

How to:

Sit equidistant from one another and roll a small ball towards the baby. Once he catches it, ask him to roll it to your partner who passes the ball back to you. Repeat the same cycle and prompt the baby in case he is confused.

2. Walk the maze

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You will need:

Carton boxes as tall as the baby

How to:

Infants learn to walk a few steps without support at the age of 12 months. Here is the game to nurture their walking skills at 16 months (1). Unfold the carton boxes and flatten them out. Place them on the floor like a maze, with an entry and exit point. Guide the baby through the maze by giving him cues and encourage and appreciate him once he walks out of the box. This game makes a fantastic indoor activity for a 16-month-old, and stimulates his thinking.

3. Catch the floating balls

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You will need:

Small colorful plastic ballsBasket-like bucket

How to:

Put a few colorful plastic balls into the baby’s bathing tub. Give the baby a bucket, and ask him to fish out all the floating balls with the bucket. If he seems confused, show him how to do it. Alternatively, you could also fill a bucket with plastic balls and push it to the bottom of the tub and when the baby is ready for the activity, pull out the bucket. All the balls will rush to the surface, making the baby squeal with happiness.

4. Bubble catching:

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You will need:

• Soapy waterBubble maker

How to:

Make some soapy water at home or get a ready-made one. Using a loop or bubble-making gun, blow out one bubble at a time while your partner prompts the baby to look at the bubbles. Blow out a few more bubbles in the air and let the baby track them. This exercises his vision to its full potential.

5. Sorting the clothes

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You will need:

Baby clothes

Three to four laundry baskets

How to:

Place the baby’s clothes on the bed and make the baby sit with the laundry baskets. Assign each basket to a type of cloth such as for jackets, socks, pants, etc., by putting the first cloth in the basket yourself. Then hand a cloth to the baby by calling aloud its name (“This is a sock”). Hold the baby’s hand and put the cloth in the correct basket. If the baby seems confused, then show him the right basket to place the cloth. Repeat this until the baby gets a hang of it. It is an excellent learning activity for a 16-month-old baby.

6. The ice slips

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You will need:

Ice cubesChopping board

Bowl

How to:

Place the chopping board at an inclined angle and put an ice cube atop the board. Slowly let go the ice cube and watch as the baby watches the ice cube in fascination. Now, prompt the baby to do the same. You could freeze a few fruit puree cubes to make the activity colorful.

Skills developed: Tracking moving objects, vision-muscle coordination

7. One, two, three

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You will need:

You and your baby

How to: This is a good time to introduce your baby to numbers. Make him sit in front of you and start counting. Every time you say a number, indicate it with your fingers. So when you say “one”, show him one finger, when you say “two” show him two, and so on. Ask your baby to repeat the numbers to help him remember the sound. Gestures play a significant role in helping a 16-month-old learn new words, and thus finger counting is a good way to teach numbers (2).

8. Bubble wrap smash:

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You will need:

Bubble wrap sheet

How to:

People enjoy bursting bubble wrap sheets. And it makes a fantastic prop for a 16-month-old’s activity. Place a few bubble wrap sheets on a hard surface and, step on the sheet and burst some bubbles as the little one watches. Then prompt your baby to do the same and have some fun!

Skills developed: Cause and effect, Tactile sensation development

9. Paper folding

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You will need:

Small sheets of colored paper

How to:

Take a colored paper and give another to your baby. Fold the paper and ask your baby to follow you. Keep the folding simple so that he can replicate it easily. Your partner can help the baby by holding his hand and showing him the correct way of folding the paper. Your 16-month-old is going to be adept at using his fingers, and this activity helps develop those skills (3).

Skills developed: Fine motor skills, basic instruction obedience

10. Cereal container

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You will need:

An empty bowl

Cereal bowl

How to:Skills developed: Hand agility, fine motor skills

11. Find me if you can

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You will need:

You, your baby and your partner

How to:

This is a version of hide and seek but the hiding spots keep changing. Your partner hides in some place and calls out for the baby. Before you and your baby get there, he sneaks out to another hiding spot. Your curious baby would be confused to hear his dad call him from so many places.

12. Touch your nose

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You will need:

Your partner and the baby

How to:

Your partner sits with the baby opposite you. State the instruction “Touch your nose”, and put your finger on the nose while your partner does the same. If the baby does not copy the action, your partner can gently hold the baby’s finger and place it on the nose. Repeat the activity by naming different body parts. Give the instructions without touching the part yourself just to see if the baby remembers it. Once the baby is adept at playing the game, you can play the game with questions like “Where is the nose?”, to observe if the baby can associate a part of the body with its name.

Skills developed: Object-noun-place coordination and understanding

13. Drawing time

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You will need:

Non-toxic, baby-friendly crayons

How to:

Babies love scribbling at the age of 16 months (4), and drawing is a great way to channelize the baby’s creativity. Buy a set of crayons that are specially made for older infants and toddlers. Draw a simple shape on the paper and ask your baby to copy it. His drawing could be shabby, but appreciate him for the efforts.

14. Stack the cups

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You will need:

Paper cups

How to:

Give a couple of cups to your baby and show him how to stack them. Once the baby gets the hang of it, hand him one cup after the other, and let him pile them up. Let the baby hold the stacked cups as it will strengthen his grip. Once stacked, let the baby remove each cup at a time and hand it over to you.

Skills developed: Nimbleness with fingers, overall fine motor skills

15. Music time

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You will need:

Smalls drums meant for babies

How to:

The little one loves banging and hitting objects at this age, and you can get him a toy drumset. The baby can hold the drumsticks and play the drums while you and your partner can play the rattle. It is going to be noisy initially! However, maintain a rhythm in moving the rattles, so your baby will know when he needs to hit the drum.

These activities can be real fun for babies, but there could be a few things you must watch out for.

[ Read: Language Activities For Toddlers ]

5 Tips For Parents Of 16-Month-Old

Following are ways to have more fun with your 16-month-old:

Be patient when introducing an activity: A baby may not immediately grasp the game or may learn only a bit of it. In any case, be patient since babies take some time to understand and replicate a new concept.

Skip an activity if a baby dislikes it: Does he become irritable every time you play a particular game? This could mean that he does not like the activity. Try another one and never force the baby.

Have an activity schedule: Play a different game every day and give breaks between activities. That will ensure the baby does not get bored but develops an interest towards each activity.

Be interactive: Talk to your baby, give him instructions, and when he gets anything right appreciate. It is essential for the parents to communicate with the baby.

Games and activities help the baby grow. They nurture several skills and help him achieve developmental milestones. So let your baby play and have a great time, for the more he plays, the stronger he grows! What were the games that your 16-month-old played? Tell us in the comments section below.

Rohit Garoo

Rohit Garoo took writing as a profession right after finishing his MBA in Marketing. Earlier he graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Botany & Zoology from the autonomous St. Xavier’s College in Mumbai. Rohit has also done a Stanford University certification course on breastfeeding. This botanist-zoologist turned writer excels at life sciences, and at MomJunction he writes everything about pediatrics and maternal care. In between writing and being overly curious, he spends time cooking, reading, and playing video games. LinkedIn profile – linkedin.com/in/rohit-garoo-263115aa

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